What are the benefits and drawbacks of hiring a professional videographer versus creating your own videos?
A quick look at social media will show that video content is effective, popular, and here to stay for the foreseeable future as well.
In some cases, businesses are able to produce their own video content, while others prefer to hire a professional to shoot and edit it. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, and it's important to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.
Pros and Cons of Hiring a Professional Videographer
It Takes Less Time
Hiring a videographer may be the best option if your staff is already stretched too thin Everything from scripting to location to shooting and editing is handled by a video production company when you hire them. Your job is to direct the videographer's focus and direction.
Equipment for the Professionals
Professional video equipment is available when you hire a video expert. Videographers use specialized equipment to ensure that the video's angles, lighting, and composition are flawless.
Renting out cameras, lighting, and studio space for video production can cost thousands of dollars. Your video will be professionally edited thanks to their access to the best software and tools in the industry.
Extensive Knowledge and Expertise
When you hire a video production company, you usually get a group of professionals who each have a specific area of expertise. For example, your production company may have a location expert who has access to unique locations.
Additionally, a professional editor is on hand to help with post-production tasks. Perhaps they have formal training in filmmaking as well as decades of experience in filmmaking.
Increased Cost
There is a price to pay for all of the "Pros" listed above. In many cases, the price is prohibitive because of the experience of the videographer team. Pricing can range from as low as $1200 to as high as tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the scope of the video, the number of locations, and the number of cameras required.
Scheduling
A videographer may not be an option if you need to produce a lot of time-sensitive video content on a regular basis. Video production teams are in high demand because of the rising popularity of video content. Videographers of the highest caliber are already booked weeks in advance.
Misaligned Vision of the Artist
You know exactly what you want your finished video content to look like. Your vision may be misunderstood by the video production crew, or their vision may even begin to take precedence over yours.
It's possible that your vision is unrealistic at times. Conflict can arise if the videographer isn't a good match for your project, regardless of the method used.
Pros and Cons of Making Your Own Videos
No Scheduling
You can create a lot of video content on the fly if you have the freedom to make your own videos. Videographers are booked for weeks or months in advance. You will need to produce your own videos if you want to produce on-demand content.
Reduced Cost
For less than $600, you can have a high-quality setup for creating your own professional videos thanks to advancements in video creation technology. Thousands of hours of video content can be generated with your new equipment at no additional cost.
If video is an important part of your overall content strategy, you may want to consider hiring a full-time videographer. It would still be less expensive to employ this person than to hire a video production crew for each shoot.
Unbridled Creativity
With your own videos, the vision is in your head and it is up to you to make it happen. You're free to change your focus in the middle of a shoot if you'd like.
It's not like working with a videographer because you can make as many changes to your original vision as you want and shoot as many versions of your video as you want.
There is Learning Curve
Video making, like any new skill, has a learning curve. The quickest and easiest way to get started is to learn the fundamentals in a short period of time. Dedicate yourself to learning everything there is to know about producing quality videos. Hire a video production team if you can't.
May Require More Time
Filming your own videos will take up more of your time than learning how to make videos. Every aspect of production will fall on your shoulders, and you'll have to stay on top of your game at all times. If you've got the time, that's fantastic! If not, you may want to consider hiring a video content creator or enlisting the help of a video team.
Lower Quality Final Product
Unscripted video content has been growing in popularity on social media, which is a good thing! It's hard to forget the Dollar Shave Club launch video, which has been viewed over 27 million times. Shooting your own video might not be the best option if your industry requires a polished brand video.
Your brand will benefit from using video content, regardless of whether you produce it yourself or hire a professional videographer.
